Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Welcome to this week's SCDL Tree Talk Tuesday. Our post this week is just to let you know that we are moving our blog over to Wordpress and we will no longer be updating here on Blogger. The name will stay the same and we will continue to bring you updates on programs and happenings in the Genealogy Community. We have also migrated all the old posts from this site to the new one. Here is a link to the new blog http://scdltreetalktuesdays.wordpress.com/ We wish you a Happy Holiday Season and we look forward to 2015.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Welcome to this weeks SCDL Tree Talk Tuesday. As I write this post it is the end of November, the weather has turned colder, the leaves have fallen from the tree and it also means that we will gather with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. While thinking on that subject and genealogy I was reminded of blog post that was shared a while back and I wanted to share it again for Thanksgiving with some updated information. Enjoy!

As we gather together on Thanksgiving the talk often times turns to our families and traditions. How many of us, in listening to the family stories, have discovered that we have descended from those who celebrated the first Thanksgiving?

If you are one of these individuals did you know that there is a lineage society that you can join? The General Society of the Mayflower Descendants, was organized in Plymouth, Massachusetts on January 12, 1897. It is a national organization of descendants of the passengers who arrived on the Mayflower to New England in November of 1620. Of the 102 individuals that were on board there were 26 heads of families. Their names are as follows;

To join the General Mayflower Society it is much like joining any other lineage society (i.e. D.A.R., Colonial Dames, S.A.R.), your first step is to begin the process of filling out a family tree showing your direct line to your Mayflower Ancestor. The Stark County District Library has many resources that can help in your search. The following is a link to the Genealogy Resources of Mayflower Descendants.

The next step in the process is to contact the Ohio Mayflower Society and request a preliminary application. This will give you the information about membership, fees, dues and instructions for filling in the names of your direct ancestors to your Mayflower ancestor. At this point no documentation is needed (although, it doesn't hurt to have it ready when you are doing your initial search so you don't have to go back an get it later). The state historian will then read over your synopsis and determine what documentation is needed. Typically you will need only documentation up to the last person who in your tree that is already in the society.

Once the State Historian has determined the documentation that is needed. He/She will give you the official papers that you will record all the generations on and attached the documentation. This paperwork will then be submitted to the state for election into the society.

For information about the Mayflower and/or the Lineage Society click on any of the links below or stop into the Genealogy Department. We have a collection of books dedicated to Mayflower people.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Welcome to this weeks SCDL Tree Talk Tuesday Blog. Today is Veterans day. A day set aside to honor the brave men and women who serve in the military. So with that in mind when choosing to share a new resource in the Genealogy Department I choose two books that focus on soldiers. The first is "Soldiers of the Revolutionary War: Buried in Vermont" by Walter H. Crockett and the second being "Patriots of Valor: Saluting our American Revolution Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots" by the Lycoming Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution".

If you are researching family in Vermont that may have served during the Revolutionary War then you may want to check out Mr. Crockett's book; "Soldiers of the Revolutionary War: Buried in Vermont". Though in size the book is small (only 80 pages in length), it is filled with many names and some anecdotes of soldiers. Mr. Crockett prefaces the book with how it came to be and explains where and how the information for the book was acquired. He then goes on to give the anecdotes of some of the soldiers. For example. "William Cox, of West Fairlee, Adam Beals, of St. Albans, and Lieut, John. Wyman (sic), of Dummerston, were present at, and had a part in, the famous "Boston Tea Party," Dec. 16, 1773" (pg 6).
The next section of the book (beginning on page 16 ) is the listing of Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Vermont by town name. That section is followed by a listing of Invalid Pensioners and Pensioners under the act of June 7, 1832. The soldiers are listed by counties and that begins on page 43. The final section of the book is another list of burials in Vermont compiled by Mr. Crockett himself and is an additional listing to the first set of burials at the beginning of the book.

The second book that is new to the department is " Patriots of Valor: "Saluting our American Revolution Soldiers, Sailors and Patrios"prepared by the Lycoming Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This book was originally published in 2001 and it's goal was to "...include information on as many of the Daughter's ancestors as possible."

The book begins with a table of contents listing of all the soldiers that are covered in the book. Each soldier then has a page (or two) with their biographical information, military information, DAR lineage and references. It concludes with an all name index, making searching easy. Like Mr. Crockett's book the Patriots of Valor is a great resource.

Both of these book and many others are available in the Military Section of the Genealogy Department at SCDL. Come on in take a look. Until next week...

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Greetings and thanks for stopping by this week's Tree Talk Tuesday Blog post. It's the first of the month and that is when we like to feature a list of Genealogy Programs that are going on throughout the month of November both here at the library in in the surrounding community. So without further adieu here's what's happening.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Welcome to this week's Tree Talk Tuesday Blog Post. This past weekend we celebrated and wrapped up another successful year of October is Family History Month. Throughout the month of October we offered eight different programs all aimed at helping to begin tracing your family history, finding records online, dating photographs, organizing your research and a night of fun with fellow genealogist.

Below you will find two photograph's of our Family Surname board from Saturday night's 4th Annual Diggin' In the Dark: Genealogy After Hours Program. Those attending the program (80 in attendance) were encourage to write the surname they were researching and attach it to the board. Some even connected with others who were researching the same name! Which made the evening even more exciting.

So, with the end of this years Family History Month, we the Genealogy Staff, want to say THANK YOU for attending the programs and we look forward to assisting you in your Genealogy Research. Until then...

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Welcome to this week's SCDL Tree Talk Tuesday Blog post. There has been some exciting news in the world of Genealogy for those looking for Ohio Death Records after 1953. Beginning in October the Ohio History Connection's State Archives have made them available! The following is letter with all the information regarding the records.

"New Death Records Now Available Online in the Ohio History Connection’s State Archives"

(COLUMBUS, OHIO) — The Ohio History Connection’s State Archives’ online catalog of death records has expanded. On October 1, the Ohio Department of Health transferred nearly two million death certificates from the years 1954 to 1963 to the Ohio History Connection.

Previously, these records were only available in paper form and could only be obtained through a request with the Ohio Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics.

Visitors can view the expanded online collection by visiting the Ohio History Center’s Archives/Library. Death certificates from December 20, 1908 to December 31, 1953 are also available in the online catalog.

The new accessibility and availability of these documents could make it easier for family researchers to develop and discover new information regarding their family’s history. A death certificate can include information like the date and place of birth of the deceased, parents’ names, last known address and last known occupation. Each piece of information can be integral in the completion of a family’s story.

“These records provide an important tool to family researchers working to uncover their family’s history,” says Liz Plummer, manager of research services at the Ohio History Connection. “Making them available online makes it that much easier to learn key facts about specific family members.”

Death certificates can be viewed online for free at the Ohio History Center’s Archives/Library at 800 E. 17th Ave. in Columbus. Those unable to visit the Archives/Library can purchase a copy online from the Ohio History Store by visiting http://www.ohiohistorystore.com/.

As the State Archives of Ohio, the Ohio History Connection’s Archives/Library collects, preserves and makes available to the public written and graphic information concerning Ohio's history. It is the designated repository for state government records of enduring historical value. For more than 50 years, the Ohio History Connection has been working with state and local governments to preserve the history of Ohio and its citizens. The State Archives at the Ohio History Center contain over 70,000 cubic feet of records, thousands of printed materials and several online collections that help people connect with Ohio’s past.

Ohio Historical Society is now Ohio History Connection
On May 24, 2014, the Ohio Historical Society changed its name to the Ohio History Connection. Established in 1885, this nonprofit organization provides a wide array of statewide services and programs related to collecting, preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology and natural history through its more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio, including its flagship museum, the Ohio History Center in Columbus. The Ohio History Center is located at I-71 and 17th Ave. in Columbus. For more information about programs and events, call 800.686.6124 or go online at www.ohiohistory.org.

Please contact the Ohio History Connection Research Services staff at reference@ohiohistory.org with any questions."

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Welcome to this week's SCDL Tree Talk Tuesday. Each month we like to try and feature a new book to our collection. This month with All Hallows Eve or Halloween coming up a time when we remember the dearly departed. I thought it would be appropriate to feature a book about Tombstone inscriptions. The book is titled "Tombstone of Your Ancestors" by Louis S. Schafer.

Louis S. Schaefer's book was originally published in 1991 and re-published by Heritage Books in 2007. His book is intended to help those in the "...hobby of locating, deciphering, and collecting gravestone inscriptions and carvings." Making it a great resource for the family historian as well as an interesting read.